Amman: The Cabinet on Sunday approved the justifications for the draft amendments to the Student Support Fund Regulations for Jordanian Public Universities for 2025. The draft will be referred to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau to complete the necessary procedures, with the matter classified as urgent.
According to Jordan News Agency, the proposed amendments aim to align the regulations with the Higher Education and Scientific Research Law No (17) of 2018 and its amendments, particularly the provisions assigning the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research responsibility for providing grants and loans to students at public universities. The changes reflect the government's commitment to continuously reviewing and improving legislation, especially those that directly affect students.
The amendments seek to promote fairness, equal opportunity, and ensure that financial support reaches eligible students according to transparent criteria and standards. Under the proposed changes, the number of full scholarships granted to top-performing students in each district will increase from six to eight. Eligibility criteria will be expanded to include households where the head of a family has a disability, provided they hold a disability identification card issued by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD).
The draft stipulates that 5% of partial scholarships and loans provided by the Fund will be allocated to students in each district who meet the eligibility criteria for the Royal Grant for children of teachers working in the Ministry of Education. According to the new bylaw, the total points used to determine scholarship eligibility will be 1,000, distributed as follows: 400 points for academic performance, 300 points for registration with the National Aid Fund (NAF), 200 points for having siblings enrolled in universities (up to two siblings), and 100 points based on the student's residence relative to the university location.
In the field of international cooperation, the Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Burundi to regulate the employment of Burundian domestic workers. The agreement seeks to enhance cooperation, coordination, and consultation on labour-related issues between the two countries. The MoU facilitates the recruitment of Burundian workers under conditions similar to those applied to other labour-exporting countries, aiming to diversify labour sources, increase competition, and reduce costs.
The Cabinet also approved an MoU between the Public Prosecution and the Supreme Judicial Council, represented by the Public Prosecution in the Sultanate of Oman, to strengthen judicial and legal cooperation. The agreement promotes the exchange of expertise and experience between the two parties in relevant fields, reflecting the strong fraternal relations and ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation between the countries across various sectors.